It was a packed packed schedule over the weekend and we have all the goings-on from the Dauphine – Pinot plus Musketeers, and Baby Daisy Sepp Kuss, a second Monument for one of Midge’s favourite Danes, hailstorms and the Summer of George. Let’s get to it!
Allez Pinot!
The final stage of the Dauphine and Primoz Roglic didn’t start (a precaution due to a heavy crash the day before), leaving the top of the GC there for the taking. With Thibaut Pinot sitting in the catbird seat, what could go wrong? Daniel Martinez had a plan of his own … on a hard fought stage, the EF rider went clear of the Pinot group … and kept going. With Pinot suffering, the rest of the French riders came together to help him out.
That might explain the stage, but one thing is for sure, the Tour is going to be very interesting
Baby Daisy takes the day
While the drama in the GC was going on behind him, Jumbo’s super-duper domestique Sepp Kuss was free to go for the stage win on the final day of the Dauphine. He looked fresh as a baby daisy and it was a very popular win!
Birdsong flies to his second Monument
Although overshadowed by the horrific crash of Remco Evenepoel, Jakob Fuglsang‘s masterful ride to the win his second Monument at Lombardia was a sight to see.
George Bennett – a straight talker if there ever was one – was gracious in defeat.
Race conditions
The restart of the season has been marred by crashes – some, as we know, incredibly serious, others enough to change the outcome of races. But most of them seemed to have been avoidable, which makes them even worse.
It looks like Max Schachmann hasn’t broken any bones and still hopes to start the Tour as does his teammate Emanuel Buchmann, Primoz Roglic and Thibaut Pinot are hoping some rest will heal their crash injuries, and Stephen Kruijswijk is out with a dislocated shoulder so is a question mark for the Tour. All but Schachmann were injured on a dangerous road conditions on a descent in stage 4 of the Dauphine.
Remco Evenepoel’s season started with such promise, but ended as he went over a bridge during Lombardia. He fractured his pelvis and so is out for the rest of this season, but thank heavens that it wasn’t any worse.
Fabio Jakobsen‘s condition is still incredibly serious but he is out of the medically induced coma and will soon be at a hospital closer to his home.
Jakobsen is able to move his arms and legs and communicate with doctors and fortunately major neurological problems have been ruled out, but due to undergoing extensive facial surgery Jakobsen is unable to speak or eat.
Apocalyptic goings-on
If road conditions weren’t bad enough at the Dauphine, the heavens opened up and pelted the riders with mighty hailstones, just as the gruppetto was making its way up the mountain to the finish …
The Gruppetto
Just a few tweets I couldn’t leave out!